Home Match Day Thread +++ 12/10/2019 L1 OUFC v Doncaster Rovers +++

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Keeping the squad together in January may or may not happen, but unfortunately it may not be something the board can ever guarantee. Brannagan, for example, has been getting a lot of attention. He came to us with a lot of potential but having only played a handful of games. He is now showing that he is a very good player and my attract interest from the top end of the Championship, or possibly even the PL. Everton are looking pretty desperate right now, so who's to say that they don't come in with a bid upwards of £5m in January. It would be hard not to give Brannagan the opportunity to move, and would bring in a huge wedge of cash for a club losing money. Some would see that as selling out, others recognising that it is our business model.

Of course results are also important. We will likely slip up at times, but need to stay consistently in the top 10 or better to keep that interest up. However, we've had a fairly good record over the last 12 months or so, especially at home. Is it 2 home defeats in 2019? Surely that must count for something?

And for the stadium, we have been told that there will definitely be news before the end of the season. Now, I appreciate that many won't believe this until everything is out on the public domain, but again progress on the training ground and youth set up must give a little credibility to what the board are aiming for?

Ultimately it is your choice whether you come or not, but I think things are slightly more positive than the picture you paint.
There’s the issue with attendances.
The club say support us to help with the ongoing debt they took on.
The fans hope the team stays together to give them hope that we might achieve something this season.
I don’t believe I’m trying to paint any picture, just responding to people like yourself who are questioning why attendances are not as high as some expect.
 
After the stick Tiger and KR has had they deserve so much praise now. Does anybody still think Tiger is only here for potential profit in the future?
Yes, but it doesn't bother me. For them to make money, the club needs to be successful.
 
There’s the issue with attendances.
The club say support us to help with the ongoing debt they took on.
The fans hope the team stays together to give them hope that we might achieve something this season.
I don’t believe I’m trying to paint any picture, just responding to people like yourself who are questioning why attendances are not as high as some expect.

Fans demand investment in the playing squad, and we've had that, both for the first team and also investing in youth.
Fans demand entertainment, we're getting that in spades.
Fans demand results, we're certainly getting there, particularly at home.
Fans demand consistency, and we've picked up over 50 points at home in the last 12 months, losing twice in 2019.
Fans demand league success, and we're sitting in the highest position that our club has finished in for the last 20 years.
Fans want a cup run, and we're 90 mins away from a national quarterfinal.
Fans demand that we keep the squad together, yet we lost Nelson and Whyte without huge disruption.
Fans demand sustainable development of the club, but don't want anyone sold.
Fans demand easier access to the ground, and we have the highest level of free parking on the country, plus improved bus services, plus park and ride options for the bigger games.

It's very easy to give reasons why people don't attend, but when you look at everything we want for our club it's really hard not to recognise how much things have improved. If you still want more than that's your prerogative. But I feel like we're on the brink of something pretty special for our club and I hope you and others come back to see for yourself how good things really are.
 
As always fans have a right to criticise but I think the present owner and manager are delivering as good as you could ever expect at this stage! Never forget Tiger is subsidising the club for at least 1.5m at the moment. I'm sure the staff know ways that more fans could be enticed into the ground on saturdays but they only have so much time in the day. For some reason our previous owner was unable to persuade the Council to let OUFC to run the new training facility perhaps down to money? i don't know. But very soon we will be running the whole site! Is this the best setup OUFC have ever had?
 
Whilst agreeing with the majority. Gotta be picky with these things.

Fans demand league success, and we're sitting in the highest position that our club has finished in for the last 20 years. We finished mid table & its only October

Fans demand easier access to the ground, and we have the highest level of free parking on the country, plus improved bus services, plus park and ride options for the bigger games. Parking is horrendous to get out. Access to the stadium has always been (and still is) s**t.

It's very easy to give reasons why people don't attend, but when you look at everything we want for our club it's really hard not to recognise how much things have improved. If you still want more than that's your prerogative. But I feel like we're on the brink of something pretty special for our club and I hope you and others come back to see for yourself how good things really are.

Apart from the results/performances. I still don’t really think things have improved much in the 18 years I’ve been following the U’s. Except from the fact we started in League 2 (first season being 2001) and now we’re League 1.
Atmosphere seems to be at an all-time worst.
The stadium is slowly degrading.
Tories and their austerity policies have sucked disposable income from a lot of people.
Pre-match beverage options have only got worse in recent years too.
As ryanbirdio has written previously - fan engagement is worryingly low.

I’m only saying this to balance the argument, as you often lean towards the blindly optimistic side of the spectrum.
It could well be that none of the points I raise have any effect on LR’s attendance rate - but there are numerous reasons why coming to the Kassam still isn’t perceived as a worthwhile of a few hours on Saturday.
 
Very frustrating reading this conversation going around in circles. I think we can mostly agree that there’s been an uptick in form and say all the good reasons why fans SHOULD be excited and attending.

But that entirely misses the point that they’re not. And so depthier more insightful prognosis and response may be required.

and I don’t agree it’s just “modern football” as plenty of other clubs are doing better than we are at ramping up their crowds
 
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Here here. I've read the thread. LondonRoader has posted some valid thoughts. Others might not agree, fair enough, but to challenge his loyalty to the club is baffling. Never mind 'some will always criticise', what's more worrying on a discussion forum is that 'some will always object to criticism'.
I don’t object to criticism at all, I would be the first to criticise the players, management, or board, if I felt it was deserved, and have done many times, rightly or wrongly.

I just don’t agree with this particular line of criticism, as we’ve got great players, in a great team, a great manager and back room team, a great supportive board, who are finally making real strides towards securing an excellent training facility, solving our longstanding, crippling stadium issues, we’re playing great football, scoring lots of goals and conceding very few, we’re one point off the playoffs, and four points off the automatic places, and we’re one game away from the quarter finals of a big domestic cup competition, having thrashed a big premier league club along the way, and for people to still moan, and claim something is missing from the club, is beyond me!

The only thing I can think of that’s “missing” is that bloody fourth stand!
 
The debate will go round and round in circles until some realize that we are ALL fans of the same club and what many perceive as "Moaning" is in fact constructive criticism..The thread is about why people may not be coming yet people are berated for offering constructive criticism, relay why they are not coming and offer innovative ideas.
I said earlier in the thread you need to engage with the fans of tomorrow NOW get them to the stadium and enjoying the whole experience, just trying to forever rinse the current fan base and grab a quick buck on the back of a win or 2 is lazy and very short sighted...Over the years there has been far too much of the they'll just turn up attitude when the aim should always have been to attract new support, you need to get them there BEFORE the sales pitch.
it's time to wake up and act fast because the clock is ticking and the more you sit back watching people find other things to do then you've lost your opportunity.
 
I sometimes wonder if it's become easier for some fans to find a different excuse not to come to games, rather than just coming, because they just can't be arsed but want to have a moan or whatever
 
I sometimes wonder if it's become easier for some fans to find a different excuse not to come to games, rather than just coming, because they just can't be arsed but want to have a moan or whatever

or you (the club) could try engaging with them and perhaps gauge an idea as to why they are not coming rather than perceive it's just because they can't be arsed but again this relates only to current fans rather than the wider audience which are the very people you need to attract.
Years back i said that once current fans/floaters get out of the habit of coming (whatever the reason) it is hard to get them back and over the years not only as this been largely ignored but there's been alot of a sit back and do nothing attitude when it comes to engaging with much needed new fans.
They'll come now as we've just won a game or 2 is Lazy and very short sighted.
 
or you (the club) could try engaging with them and perhaps gauge an idea as to why they are not coming rather than perceive it's just because they can't be arsed but again this relates only to current fans rather than the wider audience which are the very people you need to attract.
Years back i said that once current fans/floaters get out of the habit of coming (whatever the reason) it is hard to get them back and over the years not only as this been largely ignored but there's been alot of a sit back and do nothing attitude when it comes to engaging with much needed new fans.
They'll come now as we've just won a game or 2 is Lazy and very short sighted.
But I haven't yet seen one realistic option put forward to get you/others back. The only solution put forward by you was for a number of tickets at £1. The difficulty with that is we could lose tens of thousands of pounds of match day income and fans may not return once the promotion has finished. We (the club?!) have offered a fairly positive narrative of what is happening with good, consistent, entertaining, WINNING football. But that's not enough, so what is?

The club is asking for ideas, for fan engagement, for help in reaching out to others, but would it take to get you to come to a game? That's not being critical, but unless anyone knows what someone wants it becomes too easy to accuse the club of not listening.
 
But I haven't yet seen one realistic option put forward to get you/others back. The only solution put forward by you was for a number of tickets at £1. The difficulty with that is we could lose tens of thousands of pounds of match day income and fans may not return once the promotion has finished. We (the club?!) have offered a fairly positive narrative of what is happening with good, consistent, entertaining, WINNING football. But that's not enough, so what is?

The club is asking for ideas, for fan engagement, for help in reaching out to others, but would it take to get you to come to a game? That's not being critical, but unless anyone knows what someone wants it becomes too easy to accuse the club of not listening.
Pretty sure I've seen posts by ryanbirdio, and others, giving many examples of what the club could to to engage more and get more bums on seats.
 
Fans demand investment in the playing squad, and we've had that, both for the first team and also investing in youth.
Fans demand entertainment, we're getting that in spades.
Fans demand results, we're certainly getting there, particularly at home.
Fans demand consistency, and we've picked up over 50 points at home in the last 12 months, losing twice in 2019.
Fans demand league success, and we're sitting in the highest position that our club has finished in for the last 20 years.
Fans want a cup run, and we're 90 mins away from a national quarterfinal.
Fans demand that we keep the squad together, yet we lost Nelson and Whyte without huge disruption.
Fans demand sustainable development of the club, but don't want anyone sold.
Fans demand easier access to the ground, and we have the highest level of free parking on the country, plus improved bus services, plus park and ride options for the bigger games.

It's very easy to give reasons why people don't attend, but when you look at everything we want for our club it's really hard not to recognise how much things have improved. If you still want more than that's your prerogative. But I feel like we're on the brink of something pretty special for our club and I hope you and others come back to see for yourself how good things really are.
Another monologue without saying something.

What you put about there might be a need to sell Cam in the next window emphasizes one of my points, the club have put a decent squad together who are playing well at the moment, but you as the unofficial club spokesman have planted the seed that Cam might be off in the January window, I get you will say oh that's the club model and all that but the fans can see all these money men around the club and must wonder what the club ambition is cashing in on Cam or another other player.
We have a group of billionaires on the board but could cash in on players in the January window, I would hope they resist the temptation and keep the squad together and try and push on for promotion. If we did get promoted that would really be interesting to see the clubs financial commitment on and off the field, would it effect the investors search for a new retail park/stadium? not sure but exciting times with the potential of 10's of millions being chucked around to help the club.

I can't remember the fans demanding anything, we haven't over many years apart from better toilet facilities (sarge), I think the fans can remember the expectation the club has portrayed in the current owners tenure., that coupled with our boards abundance of riches, even you will have to agree it raises the expectation level a degree or two.
 
Pretty sure I've seen posts by ryanbirdio, and others, giving many examples of what the club could to to engage more and get more bums on seats.
I've seen a number of posts talking about how we spread the word about the club which will attract newer fans. But we've got fans on here who are already engaged but still don't attend. That was why my question was asking exactly what the club can do to get someone to return?

We've had points about reducing the pricing etc which can work, but has been used by other clubs who have control over food and drink in the stadium. It's easy to bring kids in for free if you know that you'll make a few quid from sweets, burgers and drinks. Equally if you reduce prices for a game you may get bigger numbers, but you need them to come back to make this work. Of course, some will be hooked but you need to ensure that the figures work or you end up losing income.

Broken record, but football is an entertainment business and we're delivering, and not just for one or 2 games as suggested. Peterborough was great first half, tired second. Burton was frustrating but with a few moments that were good. Coventry was everything you'd want in a game. Tranmere, Gillingham and Doncaster had goals, goals, goals! Then add in West Ham and it's hard to deny that the team aren't doing their bit at home.

So what else can we (the club) do?
 
Another monologue without saying something.

What you put about there might be a need to sell Cam in the next window emphasizes one of my points, the club have put a decent squad together who are playing well at the moment, but you as the unofficial club spokesman have planted the seed that Cam might be off in the January window, I get you will say oh that's the club model and all that but the fans can see all these money men around the club and must wonder what the club ambition is cashing in on Cam or another other player.
We have a group of billionaires on the board but could cash in on players in the January window, I would hope they resist the temptation and keep the squad together and try and push on for promotion. If we did get promoted that would really be interesting to see the clubs financial commitment on and off the field, would it effect the investors search for a new retail park/stadium? not sure but exciting times with the potential of 10's of millions being chucked around to help the club.

I can't remember the fans demanding anything, we haven't over many years apart from better toilet facilities (sarge), I think the fans can remember the expectation the club has portrayed in the current owners tenure., that coupled with our boards abundance of riches, even you will have to agree it raises the expectation level a degree or two.

How the Hell have I (as the unofficial club spokesman) planted the seed about Brannagan leaving?? I responded to questions about needing to sell players with an example where it is not always easy for the club to stop players moving on.

We all want a sustainable football club, free from debt and able to survive without foreign sugar daddies. We are losing millions a year as a club, and have little in the way of guaranteed income. Matchday revenue (tickets only) and merchandise is pretty much all we have, hence the need to attract as many people as possible to each game. Beyond that, we have cup runs (doing well so far) and a business model of bringing in young talent and selling on at a huge profit. No one wanted to see Roofe Lundstrum, O'Dowda, Ledson, Whyte leave. But we understood that you need to balance the books. No one wants to see Brannagan, Dickie, Fosu, Baptiste leave, but we know that it could happen. Financial Fair Play means that you can only invest money that has been generated by the club (on the whole). So having billions in the bank is irrelevant. Our money men are focused on delivering a stadium that will generate more income that can be reinvested and stop the need for player sales, bit you can't see that.

But as this is all about reasons why some don't attend games, let's focus on your point. Not attending now because we MIGHT sell a player in January? Or not attending now because we MIGHT balls it up and finish outside of the playoffs?

I know I'm optimistic, but surely that is pessimism at it's absolute worse?
 
But I haven't yet seen one realistic option put forward to get you/others back. The only solution put forward by you was for a number of tickets at £1. The difficulty with that is we could lose tens of thousands of pounds of match day income and fans may not return once the promotion has finished. We (the club?!) have offered a fairly positive narrative of what is happening with good, consistent, entertaining, WINNING football. But that's not enough, so what is?

The club is asking for ideas, for fan engagement, for help in reaching out to others, but would it take to get you to come to a game? That's not being critical, but unless anyone knows what someone wants it becomes too easy to accuse the club of not listening.

if the seats are going to be empty anyway how are you losing thousands in match day income by more people attending?

Let's assume 5.000 extra fans ...you (the club) are afraid they wont return so decide to dismiss it rather than try

of those 5.000 what if 5% or 10% do return have you got that much needed extra income?

if the seats remain empty you've still not got extra income.

my "suggestion" was for 4 games with a 50% discount offered on the 5th as a follow up

or you can sit back and hope we reach the promised land of the championship and grab the money of the plastic glory hunters which takes us back to the sit back they'll come anyway attitude.

so what is the real aim, attract and engage with current/new fans and have a community club to be proud of or rinse the current fans then grab the money---anyone's money once the promised land is reached?
 
How the Hell have I (as the unofficial club spokesman) planted the seed about Brannagan leaving?? I responded to questions about needing to sell players with an example where it is not always easy for the club to stop players moving on.

We all want a sustainable football club, free from debt and able to survive without foreign sugar daddies. We are losing millions a year as a club, and have little in the way of guaranteed income. Matchday revenue (tickets only) and merchandise is pretty much all we have, hence the need to attract as many people as possible to each game. Beyond that, we have cup runs (doing well so far) and a business model of bringing in young talent and selling on at a huge profit. No one wanted to see Roofe Lundstrum, O'Dowda, Ledson, Whyte leave. But we understood that you need to balance the books. No one wants to see Brannagan, Dickie, Fosu, Baptiste leave, but we know that it could happen. Financial Fair Play means that you can only invest money that has been generated by the club (on the whole). So having billions in the bank is irrelevant. Our money men are focused on delivering a stadium that will generate more income that can be reinvested and stop the need for player sales, bit you can't see that.

But as this is all about reasons why some don't attend games, let's focus on your point. Not attending now because we MIGHT sell a player in January? Or not attending now because we MIGHT balls it up and finish outside of the playoffs?

I know I'm optimistic, but surely that is pessimism at it's absolute worse?
See there you go off on one again about it being pessimistic.

We all want more fans in to support the team and raise revenue, but you also say its right to sell players when we could be on the cusp of a good season, my point is we don't have to sell in January if the balance sheet has been done properly this season, you won't encourage fans to come along to watch the team if it's going to be dismantled in the January window, we will go full circle again and another season wasted.
The players also need to reassured that the club are serious about moving forward, they might then want to stay and be part of a winning team.
 
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